Floor covering and like material



Jam 26 1926.

W. Mv STEVENSON FLOOR COVERING AND LIKE MATERIAL Filed Feb. 12, 1924v Z'SheetLs-Sheot 1 Jan. 25 1926.

W. M. STEVENSON FLOOR COVERING AND LIKE MATERIAL Filed Feb. 12, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNETLEEQ isnnee "PATENT :Q'FFIQE.

WILLIAM nsrnvmson, orsrmnesrnnn, nnssaonivsnrrs, ,ASSIGNOR TD UNIT use COMPANY, 012 osnriosn, Wisconsin, A .coREOIiATION or WISCONSIN.

FLOOR COVERING AND LIKE MATERIAL.

Application filed February 12, 1924. Serial No. 692,305.

To all to 7mm it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. STEVEN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Springfield, lvlassachusetts, have in vented the Improvements in Floor Coverings and like Material, of which the following is a specification.

Une object of this invention is to manufacture a fabric of solid braided warps and waits particularly adapted for use as a floor covering, which is ornamental, and durable, and of such a nature that it can be easily kept clean.

I further desireto provide a floor covering consisting of a. number of sections, each having selvage or finished edges so connected as to permit of accurate and neatfoldlng of the fabric in a relatively small space without wrinkling. Another object of my invention is to provide a sectional fabric, which is capable being built up to any desired size by the addition of similar units or sections that can be made of widely varied patterns to give different ornamental effects.

I also desire to provide a woven fabric which, while being of the utmost simplicity of construction, is of'such a nature as to be substantial and of comparatively great thickness. The invention contemplates novel means for joining the sections to permit of the convenient manufacture of rugs of widely varying sizes.

'ihese obiects and other advantageous ends, 1 attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view to some extent diagrammatic, illustrating a rug constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan of portions of two adjacent sections of the fabric shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the means for connecting them in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the fabric shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 2., showing portions in section to illustrate the method of connecting the sections;

Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective View of the braid, which forms the warpsand wefts of the fabric;

Fig. 6 is .a view of a portion of the fabric illustrating the method of applying a border thereto; and, i

Fig. 7 is an open diagram showing clearly the method of applying the border to the body of the fabric.

Referring to the drawings 128t represent substantially rectangular sections, or units, each of which consists of single lengths or, if desired, two or more lengths of relatively thick plaited braid, which is woven, usually by hand, in a plain weave. Thoseportions 55 of the braid constituting the warps are continuous with eachother, being curved or bent to 180 at the top and bottom of each section around the endmost portions of the braid constitutingthe wefts 66. As above noted, both the warps and wefts may be made of one continuous length of braid or, if desired, the warps'may be made of one length and the Wefts of'another length. The wefts are continuous and'are turned around the warps 55, defining the two sides of the section, so thatthere is aselvage at the top and bottom'as well as on the sides.

The "braid, of which the sections of my fabric are woven, is made of a number of strands producing a relatively thick and flat braid, Fig. 5, so that, when woven, as shown in the drawings, the fabric has considerable body, or thickness, and While it has no perforations, or openings, through it, I have found that, when woven, as shown, particles of dirt or solidmaterial falling upon it tend to pass between the Warp-s and wefts, or sift through thefabric rather than accumulate upon its upper surface.

A rug, or floor covering, of any desired size may be built up by joiningto-gether any desired number of the unit pieces, or seetion's, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for which purpose, I provide a hinge cord 7 which runs alternately through the loops provided byt-l'ie turned-lover warps, or-wefts, of two adjacent sections when these are 1nte1= meshed, or fitted together, as shown in Fig.

If this pivot, or hinge cord, be tightly drawn, there are no openings left between adjacent sections and the rug may be folded along any of the lines of unction of its section's without wrinkling and, likewise, without cutting or breaking the fabric.

While all of the various sections may be of the same color, they may be made in differ ent colors arranged in any desired patterns. It is obvious that rugs of any desired size may be made by connecting together any similar or required number of sections n the manner illustrated. The floor covering formed therefrom is thick and springy having a distinctive and ornamental appearance.

While the drawings illustrate a sectlonal rug, in some instances, a large sized floor covering may be made in a single section, using the heavy solid and flat braid as the warps and wefts.

In Figs. 6 and 7, a border may be formed on'the floor covering to give it a more finished and attractive appearance. A braid 8, similar to the braid forming the warps and wefts of the fabric, is twined spirally through the edge of the fabric so that it alternates with the looped edge portions o the fabric. This border is preferably made continuous and passes around the corners, as shown in the diagram, Fig. 7. When the border is applied to a sectional floor covering as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the braid 8 is continued past the joints of the section.

The border braid 8 may be of the same color as the body of the fabric, or of a contrasting color, if desired. The border braid fills the gaps between the looped sections of the edge of the fabric, giving the fabric a very neat appearance, and materially strengthening the edge.

I 01mm:

1. A floor covering made of a plurality of woven sections having intermeshing selvage edges; and members running through the intermeshing portions of adjacent sections for pivotally connecting the same.

2. A floor covering made of a plurality of sections each consisting of warps and wefts, said warps and wefts being continuous to provide intermeshing selvage edges; and a member running through the inter meshing edges of adjacent sections for connecting them.

3. A floor covering made of a plurality of sections, each formed of warps and wefts of fiat braid, said warps and wefts being continuous and providing selvage edges for the respective sections and members running through the intermeshing portions of adjacent sections for pivotally connecting the same.

4.. A floor covering made of a plurality of sections having warps and wefts of flat braid, said warps and wefts being continuous and turned over the edges of their respective sections to form a selvage, the turned-over portions of onesection intermeshing with those of an adjacent section; and a member extending through said turned-over portions to connect the sections.

5. A floor covering made of a plurality of sections each consisting of warps and wefts, said warps and wefts being continuous to provide intermeshing selvage edges; and members running through both the side and end intermeshing edges of adjacent sections for pivotally connecting them, thereby permitting folding along any line of juncture between the sections.

6. A floor covering, in which the warps and wefts are made of solid, flat braids, the looped portions at the edges being spaced apart; and a border braid supplemental to and separate from the first said braids intertwined with the looped portions at the sides and ends, producing an even and ornamental edge.

7. A floor covering comprising warps and wefts of braided material, said warps and wefts being continuous and turned over at the edges of said covering to form a selvage: and a spiral border supplemental to and separate from the said warps and wefts applied to the exposed selvage edges at the sides and ends.

8. A woven floor covering comprising a series of sections, each section having a selvage edge at the sides and ends; means for hinging said sections together; and a single border strand intertwined with the selvage edges of a plurality of sections of the floor covering.

9. A woven floor covering con'iprisinga series of sections, each section having a selvage edge at the sides and ends: means for bringing said sections together at their sides and also at their ends; and a single border strand at the sides and at the ends of the floor covering, the said strand being intertwined with the selvage edges of the several sections. 

